5 replies to this topic

[Ken Bryan]

Crisp fall weather, harvested fields, leaves turning.  In Pullman, the Washington State Cougars would be playing host to the Arizona Wildcats on a day made for football.  But a mere 15 miles away in the small rural community of Palouse another competition was already in full swing, and the competition was HOT..

 

Thirteen racers, plus a couple of spectators who hope to join the fray in future races, lined up for each of the 4 classes, making a total of 52 entries for the day.  Of that group, almost everyone just hoped for some good races and maybe a podium finish here or there.  But one member of the group had a different mission. 

 

It all started two months ago.  At the time, Garrett Sisk held most, if not all, of the track records for the cars being raced that month.  We alternate which classes run on which tracks every other month, so the records I refer to are Stock and Can Am on the red track, F1 and Coupe on the blue.  If you look back at race results two months ago, you will see that Chance Overholt showed up and proceeded to wipe out ALL of his fellow Tri-Cities racer's records.  Since Garrett wasn't here that day, Chance would call him as each record was erased.

 

So now, two months later, Garrett was back, looking to reclaim his place on the record board.  He had hoped that Chance would also be here, but he wasn't.  So Garrett's goal was simple.  Not 4 wins, but 4 wins that would give him the right to return the calls he received.

 

So...how did it turn out?  By the way, kudos to the person that finds the error in what follows....

 

RACE 1 -- STOCK CARS

 

Lap record 156 (average of 39 laps per heat)

 

Garrett drew a favorable draw at the beginning of the race, paired with racers who could compete cleanly and on a track where passing was fairly easy, and with ideal track conditions.  Most racers can do heats in the range of 32-36 laps, so we were eager to see if Garrett could put together a whole race with almost a 40-lap average.  After 2 heats, it was clear that was NOT going to be a problem.  His 4 heats were 42, 40, 41, 41.  The 41 lap average crushed the old record by 8 laps.  Wow!

 

Tim Gray (also from from Tri-Cities) and local racer Robert Clements were also VERY fast, coming within 1 and 4 laps respectively of the old record.

 

Following these 3, there was a 16-lap gap to the rest of the pack, who were all bunched together.  Final results here:

 

1.  Garrett Sisk                164 laps

2.  Tim Gray                     155 

3.  Robert Clements         152 

 

4.  Leroy Sanders            136   see group of 7 racers within 3 laps

5.  Shiggy Person            135

6.  Tom Brown                 134

7.  Paul Dwyer                134

8.  Tom Sunday               134

9.  Ken Bryan                  133

10.  Jeff Sisk                   133

 

11.  Frank Sperle            130 

12. Wes Spencer            129

13.  Larry Flyn                109

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ken Bryan]

OK on to the second race and the second record attempt.

 

Race 2 -- FORMULA CARS

 

Class record on this track:  123 

 

Races on the blue track are a little more challenging for record attempts, especially with formula cars.  The red track has 4" lane spacing.  The blue track is 3.5 -- about the tightest you can be for any retro car, but especially an open wheel car.  To set records, you have to pass, and it is difficult.

 

Fortunately for Garrett, he drew a mostly favorable draw, and the track conditions again were excellent.  He needed to average an even 31 laps per heat to set the record, and not have a bad heat.  It was closer here, but he pulled it off with a 31-31-31-33 split.

 

The podium trio was the same, but this time Robert pulled out the second place finish with a consistent 30-30-29-29.  Tim had some traffic issues in red, but still came in third, with a 27-30-29-30 split.

 

And once again there was a tight pack behind these three.  Final results:

 

1.  Garrett Sisk                126 laps

2.  Robert Clements         118 

3.  Tim Gray                     116 

 

4.  Tom Sunday               114 

5.  Jeff Sisk                      112          

6.  Leroy Sanders            112                 

7.  Ken Bryan                  112

 

8.  Wes Spencer             109

9.  Paul Dwyer                108

10.  Shiggy Person         104

11.  Tom Brown               103

 

12.  Frank Sperle             97 

13.  Larry Flyn                 78

 

 

 

 

[Ken Bryan]

After a 1:30 lunch break of "build your own" tacos," one of the favorite lunches of the group, we were back to racing.  The Sanders put out an awesome spread each month, and they are all different.  This one also included a birthday cake and ice cream that reminded me that, at 75, I was the oldest racer in the place.

 

But it was back to the red track and

 

Race 3 -- CAN AM 

 

Track Record:  164 laps (the same number that Garrett had previously done in a stock car).  Please recall that our stock cars are not like most retro groups in the country.  We allow the same clearance as a Can Am, 3.125" width, and anglewinder motors.

 

Garrett needed all the help he could get in this race.  He needed to average more than 41 laps a heat, and barely did it with a 42-40-41-42 split to break the record by ONE lap.

 

Tim Gray, with podium finishes in the first 2 classes, was forced to borrow a car from Tom Brown for this race.  Although it was quick, it wasn't familiar, and he slipped to 6th place this time.  This opened up a new podium opportunity, and Leroy Sanders and Tom Sunday duked it out for that position, eventually ending in a tie, with Tom claiming the podium by a few feet.

 

Results:

 

1.  Garrett Sisk                        165 laps

2.  Robert Clements                 156 

3.  Tom Sunday                        150

4.  Leroy Sanders                     150

 

5.  Paul Dwyer                          144

6.  Tim Gray                              140

7.  Jeff Sisks                             139

 

8.  Ken Bryan                            134

9.  Shiggy Person                     131

10.  Frank Sperle                       131

11.  Wes Spencer                      129

 

12.  Tom Brown                         122

13 Larry Flynn                           100

 

 

[Ken Bryan]

After 39 heats, we are all getting tired, but it was on the the final race of the day.

 

Spoiler alert:  Garrett would win the race and claim the one remaining track record, this time by 5 laps, and no one else was close.  So he set new marks by 8, 3, 1, and 5.

 

The podiums for the day would look very familiar:  Garrett with his fourth win, Robert with 3 seconds and a third, Tim with 1 second and 2 thirds, and Tom Sunday with the final third.

 

Final results:

 

1.  Garrett Sisk                          136 laps

2.  Robert Clements                  122 

3.  Tim Gray                               122 

 

4.  Ken Bryan                             118 

5.  Paul Dwyer                            116

6.  Shiggy Person                       115

7.  Tom Sunday                          113

 

8.  Jeff Sisks                               107

9.  Tom Brown                            105

10.  Leroy Sanders                     100

 

11.  Frank Sperle                          91

12.  Wes Spencer                         73

13.  Larry Flyn                              49  (DNF-- car failure)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bill from NH]

What a great looking field of cars. You certainly have some very good body painters in the Northwest. Which FK motors power these cars? Ken, which track was formerly yours, the red or blue?

[Ken Bryan]

Thanks, Bill. My old track is the blue one with the tight lane spacing. It was originally built for me by Bob Ward out from Puyallup WA, circa 1990 and has gone through 2 revamps since. We use the retro hawk (bb ok), and a few of us still run some TRS motors.